Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

Release date: January 25, 2022

He loved her then. Will she love him now?

When Mallory Barrows finds an old diary in a box of books, the story she finds within sends her on the hunt for the owner–and maybe more.

Theirs is a story ripped from a country song. A wedding, a former love presumed dead, her new love stepping aside. And over forty years later, their story is one few remember.

With Mallory determined to find the people in the pages of that diary, one couple is offered the second chance of a lifetime.

This “second-chance / seasoned romance” novel introduces the next island in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

Click here to get your copy!

An Author’s Take

Finding a Memory by Chautona Havig is the author’s first book I have read. I chose to read this book because I found the story’s background to be intriguing. I was not disappointed as the book was fantastic! I love second chance stories.

There are four characters of interest in Finding a Memory: Mallory, Benjamin, Patti, and Francis. Mallory, a young woman, finds a mistakenly donated diary and can’t help but read through the book. The entries she reads compels her to find the diary’s owner. Benjamin, a friend of Mallory’s, is drawn into her quest to find the diary’s author. Patti, a woman, living with regrets, continually questions her choices in life, including a past romance she left behind. Francis, a man who recently lost his wife, begins to ponder the possibility that his one true love who broke his heart is still out there. As the story unfolds, the characters engage and encourage each other while also living their own lives. The split narrative was well done, demonstrating the author’s mastery of the writing craft.

I loved how the author simultaneously shared a story of a past romance while revealing a new young romance blossoming. I was drawn into both aspects and the overarching storyline—a fantastically written book.

If you like Christian Contemporary Romances, I highly recommend checking out Finding a Memory. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Note: I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for sharing my thoughts. I am disclosing this per FTC regulations.

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona

I was a weird child. While my friends were listening to… whatever 80s kids listened to, the enormous console in my bedroom played The Brothers Four, The Kingston Trio, Roger Miller, Billy Vaughn, Patsy Cline, and Patti Paige. One minute I was a “Rovin’ Gambler” and the next I was “Chug-a-lugging.” Hmmm… In hindsight, one could say I listened to some dubious music. Drinking, gambling… Oh, that reminds me of another one. The Sons of the Pioneers. “Cigarettes, Whiskey, and Wild, Wild Women. (Hint: they’ll drive you crazy. They’ll drive you insane. The song says so).

But there were other songs—beautiful ones. “Greenfields.” “Little Green Apples.” “You Belong to Me.” And of course… “Go on with the Wedding.”

If you’ve never heard it, you should listen. HERE.

That one used to tear me apart. I never could decide which man she should have chosen. I’m a sucker for the underdog—for a hero. So, I always said Fred. And I meant it. Right up to the moment I thought about Jim being away, fighting, finally making it home to his girl only to see her marry someone else. How horrible is that?

Well, one of the tropes I chose for my books in the Independence Islands was going to be a “second chance romance.” I also wanted a “seasoned romance,” so this song came to mind. And then I had my story. It’s not the one my twelve-year-old self would have wanted. Truthfully, it’s not the story I wanted to write today, but it’s the right one. It’s probably my favorite of all of the ones I’ve done in this series. I hope you’ll love Frank and Patti as much as I do.

All that’s left now is for me to write one more story—the one that has been forming through each book. It’s time for Mallory and Benjamin to both learn and write their story’s end (which of course, is only a beginning).